Lactation consultants strive to promote, support and protect breastfeeding among all famililes.  The benefits of breastfeeding are particularly advantageous for families living in vulnerable situations.  Special emphasis must be placed on meeting the needs of those who are less able to access breastfeeding help because of financial, language, geographic, and cultural barriers.  Lactation consultants shoudl endeavor to develop cultural competency in order to address these barriers.  Lactation consultants should be aware of the need to assist families in disaster situations, whether realted to natural events, wars, or other events.  Low income families are a vulnerable population regarding breastfeeding.  In some nations, low-income mothers breastfeed at the highest rates; in other nations the reverse is true.  The reason being is that the percieved value of breastfeeding versus formula.  Formula is beyond the economic rach of low-income families in many developing nations.  Often, formula has a greater perceived value than breast milk, and the ability to purchase formula can be a status symbol in some communities.  Care providers and their clients might have divergent beliefs about issues such as the etiology of problems, appropriate care plans, and so on.  This is why, as a lactation consultant, it is very important to explore each clients’ viewpoint to arrive at a mutually acceptable plan for care.  There are cultural beliefs and practices such as, avoiding feeding babies colostrum, have an impact on the choice of whether to breastfeed.  The practice of feeding an infant other foods (formula included) during the first days of life might lead healthcare workers to assume incorrectly that a mother has chosen not to breastfeed.  It is important to communicate openly with your clients, once you are a certified lactation consultant, regardless of income level, language barrier, cultural beliefs, or age of new mother.

No tags